Office of the Public AdvocateIn recent years OPA has experienced an unprecedented demand for all its services, particularly in guardianship and investigations.
As the NDIS continues its steady roll out, the impact on OPA and the disability environment is becoming more apparent. The number of guardians with NDIS participants is increasing and this, combined with the complex nature of NDIS, has appreciably increased the workload of the guardians involved. The considerable number of service provider contracts developed, reviewed and signed continues to tax the resources of our legal team and staff.
The lack of a provider of last resort, compounded by the dearth of accommodation options for complex clients puts enormous pressure on the office for advocacy and guardianship. This often means a plethora of unsustainable short-term options for the individual and the almost impossible task of obtaining appropriate long-term solutions, leading to poor outcomes. For some, it means being kept for long periods of time in inappropriate settings such as hospitals and prisons because there is no suitable accommodation within the community.
